A Russian man has been arrested in France on suspicion of plotting acts of “destabilization” during the Paris Olympics, according to prosecutors.
The 40-year-old man was detained on Sunday, and an investigation was launched into the possible passing of “intelligence to a foreign power in order to arouse hostilities in France.”
However, the alleged plot is not believed to be related to terrorism.
The arrest comes just days before the games are set to begin, with the opening ceremony scheduled for Friday in central Paris.
Prosecutors stated that a search was conducted at the man’s Paris apartment at the request of the French interior ministry.
Evidence found suggested the man was preparing “pro-Russian operations” to destabilise France during the Olympics.
Sources described the alleged plot as a “large-scale project” that could have had “serious” consequences, though no further details were provided.
The investigation is being handled by counter-espionage specialists, not counter-terrorism experts.
The man has been indicted and placed in pre-trial detention, with the crimes under investigation carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 30 years.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that over one million individuals—including athletes, coaches, journalists, volunteers, security guards, and local residents near event locations—had been screened ahead of the games.
Among the 4,360 people denied access, 880 were barred due to suspicions of foreign interference, according to AFP.
Darmanin emphasized, “We are here to ensure that sport is not used for espionage, cyberattacks, or to criticize and sometimes even lie about France and the French.”
Recent months have seen various incidents raising suspicions of external attempts to exploit and exacerbate divisions within France, particularly concerning conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
In June, five coffins draped in a French flag and labeled “French soldiers of Ukraine” were placed near the Eiffel Tower.
Three men—a Bulgarian, a Ukrainian, and a German—were later apprehended and claimed they were paid to leave the coffins. French intelligence officials suspect Russian involvement.
Additionally, in the previous month, red hands were painted on the main Holocaust memorial in Paris, and graffiti stencils of the Israeli flag’s Stars of David appeared on walls around Paris following the 7 October Hamas attack and the ensuing Israeli military campaign in Gaza.
A Moldovan couple, believed to have been paid by Russian intelligence, were later arrested in connection with these incidents.
Source-BBC
